Ask Dr Miriam

QI’ve just come out of hospital after a gallbladder operation where I caught a nasty infection with a resistant bug. I was wondering if there was anything I can do to lessen the effect of all the antibiotics I had to take?

AI’m sorry to hear of your infection in hospital. It’s been shown that a plant-based diet rich in fibre will help the gut recover from taking a lot of antibiotics, so concentrate on fruit and vegetables that contain a lot of fibre. This is because fibre is a prebiotic, which helps good bacteria to flourish in your gut. Research suggests you should eat 30 different plants a week, so focus on wholegrains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, pulses and herbs.

As I mentioned in Monday’s Q&A, spend as much time as you can outdoors to get exposure to new microbes and strengthen your gut microbiome. And try to reduce stress. To have a good night’s sleep, limit screen time before bed and avoid coffee later in the day.